Spend extra on these 6 things, not those
You took a look at your finances and whoooa. Time to rein it in. New plan: Buy the cheapest possible version of absolutely everything. Love those pennies!
Be real—you can’t do that forever. Even if you could, there are some things that are actually worth paying a little extra for. And some that aren’t. Here are a few of each to get your spending mindset straight.
Worth it!
Mattress—A good night’s sleep is pretty priceless. And this is something you’ll likely own for 7-10 years. The difference between a mediocre mattress and a good one is a few hundred bucks. Well worth it when you consider the spend over a longer period of time.
Shoes—Cheap shoes fall apart and then you have to buy new ones. You could end up replacing them a lot more often, which costs more in the long run.
Winter coat—If you’ve never bought yourself a decent coat, you really should. It’s life changing, especially if you live in a colder climate. Winter is coming.
Furniture—Particle board also falls apart. Real wood and decent upholstery last many, many years longer, and good furniture makes your place look a lot better too. This doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. Shop second-hand stores or estate sales for quality pieces you can keep as long as you need them.
Sushi—This is raw fish, you know that, right? And it’s delicious. But discount fish… sick.
Toilet paper—You’ll end up using a lot more of this if you get the translucent variety. Not to mention all the extra time you’ll spend unrolling around and around and around…
Your money’s no good here
Cable—Is anyone under 40 still paying for this? Why??
Designer bags—Girl, come on you don’t need that. Are you planning to carry a credit card full of debt in there? Girl.
Really trendy sh*t—If there’s something that was super dumb six months ago but now is very, very cool, it’s probably going to be dumb again just as fast. If you absolutely have to have it, think about buying the cheap version and saving yourself the regret.
Credit cards with annual fees—Credit card companies did a great job turning these into a status symbol. There’s no need to pay them for the privilege of spending money. Find a card without fees at a minimum, and one with cash back if you qualify.
Brand-name medication—The pharmaceutical industry is regulated for consumer protection. The FDA requires generic drugs to be the same as brand name ones, which is why pharmacists typically recommend them without reservation.
Premium gasoline—Unless you have a luxury car (ahem, why), premium gas literally gets you nothing. No better mileage, no better performance. The only thing it’s good for is siphoning money out of your pocket.
You probably already know that quality and durability are worth paying for and new shiny things are not. Thinking about these over the lifetime of whatever you’re buying can help you make better choices about where to spend a little extra.
-----
Once upon a time I had a cheap vacuum cleaner. Predictably, it broke. Twice. The first time, the retractable cord got stuck retracted. I had to wrestle it for an hour and break the plastic housing to get the cord out, after which myself and the vacuum were both hot messes. Then eventually it stopped sucking and broke for good.
The new one is, no joke, completely amazing. I adore it!! I end up vacuuming a lot less often because it works so much better than the hot mess. When I do, the rollers are smooth, the noise is pleasant, and it doesn’t even smell weird. The truth is I didn’t just buy a vacuum. I acquired a transcendent cleaning experience.